Sudan
 

Having just completed the trip from Amsterdam to Cape Town some people asked about The Sudan.
There are two extremes: roads are very very lousy and people are very very friendly. As far as we have noticed there is no security problem in the North, so both crossings from either Egypt via Khartoum to Metema in Ethiopia and from Chad to Ethiopia are perfectly feasible.
Note that The Sudan was one of the pleasant surprises in our trip!

Auke

I'm planning on doing a solo London to Johannesburg trip on a F650GS in the future and was considering the Sudan as a potential route. In particlar, do you have info on:

1. The Abu Simbel to Wadi Halfa ferry: is it reliable, regular and an option? Then, from Wadi Halfa it seems as if it is fairly easy going till Malakal.

2. From Malakal to Juba. This seems like a long lonely stretch. Any info on the availibility of fuel/water and safetly on this leg?

Any help, as always, appreciated.

Rudi Damhuis

i am looking at chad sudan for next year and was interested in info on availability of petrol. if you could give me your opinion i would appreciate this.
...jack.

Rudi - Wadi Halfa ferry is fine - it goes every Monday afternoon. See my reply to Pete Sinclair's topic "Egypt - Sudan border", last item posted on 11 April - getting a motorbike on probably won't be any difficulty, but you can check with the people mentioned.

Regarding South Sudan, the war is still going on, despite periodic alleged ceasefires. Everybody goes through Ethiopia to reach Kenya and you would be best advised to do the same. Riding through on a motorbike, you might be lucky and make it, but:

1. You might get shot by anybody who took a fancy - south Sudan has been a warzone for decades and is not like the friendly relaxed north - there are lots of armed people around. If Juba is still under siege, you will also have to cross the frontline - which would be rather difficult.

2. You'll never get permits to travel this route, so you'll have to somehow dodge the police until you get far enough south to be out of govt controlled areas. Then when you reach Juba - which is again govt controlled -the police will want to know why you travelled there without a permit, and could decide to do anything they like with you.

3. It is highly unlikely you will find any fuel along the way - the whole economy has stopped in the south, there are literally no vehicles in the rural areas and so one imagines no petrol stations.

Unless you hear that any of this has changed - which it hasn't for years - I suggest you go through Ethiopia.

Simon

http://www.sahara.it/padovafuoristra...udan/index.htm